


Birthday Reunion

by Mollygail



Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 00:53:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19713001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mollygail/pseuds/Mollygail
Summary: AU after season five. There were no Pink Panthers, no faked death, and no baby Neal. Peter and Neal’s relationship never quite got back to where it had been before Peter’s arrest. Neal never got over Peter telling him he’d always be a criminal and overhearing the warnings to Jones that he shouldn’t consider being Neal’s handler because he’d regret it. When he finished his sentence Neal determined to prove to himself that Peter was wrong.





	Birthday Reunion

_We begin our story two years after the end of Neal’s sentence. It’s Peter’s birthday…_

Peter entered the kitchen as El was putting his coffee mug on the table. “Good Morning, Hon.”

“Happy Birthday, Peter. Have a seat while I finish your omelet. Would you like some toast with it?”

Peter sat at the table and watched his wife fuss over his breakfast. “El, you didn’t have to cook my breakfast. I could have eaten Sugar-Os.”

“It’s your birthday and I wanted to make you a nice breakfast.” She placed the plate in front of him and gave him a little kiss on the forehead. “Don’t forget that I’m taking you out to dinner tonight. We have reservations for six-thirty and I don’t want to be late.”

Peter nodded and took a sip of coffee. “Where are we going? Or is it a surprise?”

“It’s a new little Italian restaurant on the Upper West Side. I’ve heard wonderful things about it.”

Peter groaned. “I hope it’s not pretentious and overpriced. What’s the name of the place?”

“It’s called Giorgio’s. And it’s not pretentious. Peter, just give it a try. I’ve heard that it’s clean, quiet, and the food is fantastic. Yvonne’s sister went there and was very impressed by the great food and wonderful service.”

“Okay, we’ll try it.” He ate in silence for a few minutes and took another sip of his coffee. He looked through the mail that El had put in the center of the table. “Is this all of the mail?”

“That’s it. Were you expecting something?” She leaned across the table to refill his mug. 

“No, no. I’m not expecting anything.” He sighed and stabbed his fork into the last bit of his omelet. 

“You were hoping for something though, weren’t you? A card from Neal maybe?”

Peter got up and carried his plate to the sink. He turned around and leaned back against the counter. “Maybe. He sent me birthday cards before I arrested him. Even when he was in prison he sent me cards. I know things were rough between us that last year of his sentence but I thought we had put it behind us. That last day we worked together before the end of his sentence I told him not to be a stranger. I tried to let him know that I would like to hear from him.” He sighed and shook his head. “He changed his number and he moved out of June’s house. I went to see him and she was cold and wouldn’t tell me where he had moved to. I guess he’s gone back to his old way of life.”

“You don’t know that, Peter. You could find out where he lives. You are in the FBI.”

“Yes, but I don’t want to do that. If he doesn’t want to stay in touch then that’s his choice. I have no right to invade his privacy. He’s served his sentence and he doesn’t have to answer to me anymore. And if he’s gone back to his old ways I’d rather not know.” He pushed away from the counter and grabbed his suit coat off the back of the chair. “I need to get going. I promise to be home early.” 

El hugged him and gave him a kiss. “I love you, Peter. Don’t let anything ruin your birthday.”

“I love you too, Hon.” He picked up his briefcase and left for work. 

Behind his back his wife’s smile turned into a frown as she thought about Neal and his failure to send a birthday card. How could the two smartest men she knew be so stupid? She remembered the doubtful look on Neal’s face when Peter had told him to stay in touch. Both of them seemed to think the other didn’t really want to hear from them. Even smart men could be so stupid sometimes.

**********************

“Welcome to Giorgio’s.” The hostess greeted them politely as they walked in. “Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes, the name is Burke.” Peter generally didn’t like to try new things but he was trying not to let it show. El had wanted to do something special for him for his birthday and he wouldn’t ruin it for her. 

At the mention of his name, the hostess’ demeanor changed from merely polite to friendly and cheerful. “Mr. and Mrs. Burke, we’re happy to have you join us this evening.” She stepped from behind her desk and grabbed two menus. “I’ll show you to your table. Right this way.” She led them to a table and handed them the menus when they were seated. "Claire will be your waitress this evening. My name is Kelly and if there’s anything I can do for you please let me know.”

A waitress appeared with glasses of water and placed them on the table. “Good evening. My name is Claire and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you anything else to drink while you look over the menus?”

“We’re fine for now, thanks.” The waitress left and Peter opened his menu. Inside the menu was an envelope with his name on it. “Hon, what’s this?” He held up the envelope thinking it must be a gift arranged by his wife. 

“I don’t know, Peter. It’s not from me. Open it and find out what it is.” 

Peter tore the envelope open and pulled out a birthday card. He opened the card and stared at it silently. 

“Well, who is it from?” 

“Neal. It’s from Neal. It says happy birthday and he’s paying for our dinner. It’s signed ‘xoxo, Neal’. How did he know we’d be here? Have you talked to him?”

“No, I haven’t talked to him since he finished his sentence.”

Peter looked around to find the hostess and motioned to get her attention. 

“Are you ready to order Mr. Burke?” 

“No, I just had a question. This card was tucked in my menu. Did you see who put it there?”

“Yes, sir. Mr. Caffrey put it there. He made sure to show me so I’d be sure to give you the right menu.” She didn’t mention how nervous the boss had seemed to be about it. 

“You know Mr. Caffrey?” 

“Of course. He’s one of the owners of this restaurant. He also works here as the manager.”

“Neal Caffrey is the manager? Seriously?” Peter wasn’t surprised that Neal would own a restaurant but he was surprised that he would personally manage it. It indicated a level of responsibility that he had never associated with Neal. “I hope he’s better at giving orders than he was at following them.”

Kelly didn’t like the tone of Peter’s voice, which seemed to reveal a lack of respect for her boss. After everything the boss had done to help her and her coworkers, she wasn’t going to let anyone look down on him. She forced a smile as she answered the question. “He’s a very good manager. Anyone in here will tell you that. He’s given us all a second chance when no one else would. Most of us who work here have done time in prison and when we got out good jobs were almost impossible to find. Mr. Caffrey hired us, trained us and stands by us when we need help. Last week he talked to one of his partners, Mr. Gless, and arranged for my tuition to nursing school to be paid for. One of the line cooks is trying to get his GED and Mr. Caffrey has been tutoring him. Right now the boss is washing dishes because the dish washer had a family emergency. Now, I don’t know who you are but Mr. Caffrey made sure you would have the best table tonight. He obviously respects you and I’m sorry if I’ve offended you but, I won’t let anyone talk about the boss in a condescending way.”

Peter looked like a deer that had been caught in the headlights. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful toward him. I was just surprised.” 

Elizabeth had been quiet but spoke up to rescue Peter from himself. “Neal is a very smart, talented man and I’m sure he’s a wonderful manager. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Giorgio’s. We haven’t seen Neal in quite a while. Would you let him know we’d love to see him if he has time.” She smiled at Kelly in an effort to smooth the ruffled feathers caused by Peter’s thoughtlessness. 

“Of course I’ll let him know. Are you ready for Claire to take your order now?”

“Yes, thank you.” El glared at Peter in the brief moment between Kelly’s departure and Claire’s arrival. 

“I’m sorry, El,” Peter said after the waitress left. “I know Neal is capable of anything he sets his mind to it just surprised me that he would manage a restaurant.”

“When he comes out here please try to keep your foot out of your mouth. I think what he’s doing here is wonderful. He found a way to earn a living and give others a chance to do the same. I was worried about him being able to find a job with his record. I’m proud of him.”

“Yeah, me too.” Peter was proud of Neal and ashamed of himself. He remembered that awful day he’d reminded Neal that he was a criminal. He had hurt Neal but Peter had found ways to excuse his harshness to Neal that day. Now he had to admit to himself that Neal had only used his criminal skills to get him out of prison and clear his name. He had risked everything for Peter and it was time Peter acknowledged that. 

***************

Even in the organized chaos of the restaurant kitchen, it was obvious to the staff that something was bothering Mr. Caffrey. They’d never seen him so quiet and serious. 

Neal’s thoughts swirled around in his mind as he second-guessed the decisions he had made that day. When he had first seen Peter’s name on the reservation list he had thought about taking the night off. It was unlikely that the Burkes knew Neal worked at Giorgio’s and they wouldn’t be expecting to see him. Then he’d reconsidered and decided to give Peter the birthday card. That would have been a good place to draw the line. Polite, yet distant. 

It was the next decision that he was having serious second thoughts about. Hiding the bug where he’d be able to overhear the Burkes’ dinner conversation had been a temptation he couldn’t resist. He wasn’t sure why he’d done it. Maybe it was the memory of the ‘just a criminal’ speech. Whatever had brought on the decision to eavesdrop didn’t matter now; it was done. Sure, he could take the receiver out of his ear but, two years after getting his freedom he still missed Peter. It was time to find out if their friendship had only existed in Neal’s imagination.

Hearing the tone of Peter’s voice as he commented on Neal’s position as manager sent a stabbing pain through Neal’s heart. As he continued to listen he heard Kelly defend him and he took a deep calming breath. When Peter spoke again there was a note of guilt in his voice and then Elizabeth chimed in with some words to soothe Kelly’s ruffled feathers. Were they just words or did she mean them? The ‘private’ conversation that followed Kelly’s departure seemed to indicate El’s sincerity. 

“The Burkes want to see you, Boss.” He looked up to see Kelly standing beside him.

“I’m a little busy right now.” He paused briefly. "Please tell them I’ll join them for dessert.” He raised his arm and wiped the sweat from his forehead. 

“Neal…” Kelly hesitated. She respected her boss and didn’t want to offend him but she sensed that these people were important to him. “Why don’t you go change and let someone else take care of the dish washer responsibilities? One of the prep cooks can take over here. I’m sure the chef won’t mind.” 

Neal sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead again. “Ok, I’ll talk to John and see if he minds being shorthanded for a bit. Thanks, Kelly.” 

*****************

Neal closed the door of his apartment and kicked off his shoes. There was a definite up-side to living upstairs from the restaurant. He’d have a quick shower and change into one of his new suits before joining Peter and El for dessert. 

He took a moment to look around at his apartment and think about the changes that had happened in the last two years. His life had taken some weird turns since he’d finished his time with the FBI. Less than a month after the end of his sentence he’d run into Daniel Picah at a gallery opening. His general impression of Daniel during the jade elephant case hadn’t been very positive. No one was more surprised than Neal that they had become friends and business partners.  
Neal’s thoughts continued as he took a shower and got dressed. He stood in front of the mirror as he tied his tie. 

After he and Daniel hatched the idea of opening a restaurant the problem of finding a location needed to be solved. When they signed the lease for the restaurant, Neal had been surprised to find out the realtor was a friend of Stuart Gless. The realtor, Mark Newton, had heard Stuart tell the story of his daughter’s rescue by the man Stuart had helped send to prison. Now Neal had a part-time job, and a generous salary, working as a security consultant for Stuart. 

Neal gave himself one last look in the mirror as he slipped his suit jacket on. Normally these days he didn’t have to fake self-confidence. He was proud of the things he was doing and he knew he did them well. He had nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of. Peter could either learn to accept Neal for who he had become or continue to dwell on Neal’s past mistakes. Either way, Neal wouldn’t jump through hoops to please Peter ever again. They would either have mutual respect or nothing at all. 

Neal made his way down to the kitchen to check on the staff. After they had assured him that everything was under control he asked Kelly if the cake had been delivered by The Greatest Cake. 

“Yes, sir, it’s just as you requested; German chocolate with ‘happy birthday’ written on it and a single candle.”

“Thanks. I’ll take it out myself. Are they ready for dessert yet?” 

“Yes, sir. They are just waiting for you. You go ahead and I’ll be right behind you with the coffee.” She gave him a gentle push. He picked up the cake and carried it to the table.

Neal saw Peter smile as he approached the table carrying the cake. As soon as he’d set the cake on the table Peter stood up and gave him a hug. 

El hugged him next and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Neal, it’s so good to see you again. Sit down and tell us what’s been going on in your life.” 

“First things first, El.” He paused a moment while Kelly lit the candle on the cake. “Peter, you need to make a wish and blow out the candle.”

When the birthday tradition had been taken care of and the cake was served Peter again urged Neal to fill them in on what had happened to him since they’d seen him last.

“Well, it’s a long story. How about I just give you the short version for now?”

“Okay, but I’m sure we’re going to want details later.”

Neal laughed. “Okay. Here’s the short version… A few days after I got my freedom I ran into John, a guy I knew in prison. We had coffee and talked. He told me he was having trouble getting a job as a chef and gave me his phone number in case I heard of anything. Then about a week later I met Daniel Picah at a gallery. We talked and he asked for my advice about his art collection. He hired me as his personal art consultant and we got to know each other. I told him about John. One thing led to another and the idea of opening a restaurant came up. So, here I am.”

“You seem happy, Sweetie.” 

“I am, Elizabeth. I like being able to help people.”

Peter leaned back in his chair and smiled at Neal. “I’m proud of you, Neal. I’ll admit that when I found out you were the manager here I was skeptical. I want to apologize for that because I can see now that I was wrong. Your employees are very loyal to you, you know. Kelly told me off earlier when I didn’t show proper respect for you.”

“Did she really? Well, it sounds like I’ll have to give her a raise.”

“She said you’ve arranged to have her tuition to nursing school paid for by Mr. Gless. Would that be Stuart Gless?” 

Neal nodded and Peter rolled his eyes. 

“Neal, how did you manage that? Gless was the victim of your bond forgery crime.” 

“He was informed of my sentence completion through the Victim Notification System. He contacted me and offered to help me start a new life. I guess after I helped to rescue his daughter he didn’t want to see me go back to my old ways. He invested in the restaurant and when Kelly told me she was looking into becoming a nurse I went to Stuart to ask if he’d be willing to help her out.” Neal’s expression was serious as he looked at Peter. “I haven’t tried to manipulate or con him Peter. I showed him our business plans before I accepted any money from him. I volunteered to let him look at the books whenever he wants. We have an independent accountant handle all of the finances.”

Peter held up his hands to stop Neal’s defensive explanation. “Neal, I didn’t think you were conning him. I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. I only meant to tease you a little.” Peter sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, Neal, I know things between got a little tense that last year of your sentence.” 

“Ya think?” Neal couldn’t help the slightly sarcastic reply.

“Yeah. Do you think we can put the past behind us and be friends again?” 

Elizabeth put her hand on Neal’s arm and squeezed it lightly. “We really have missed you, Neal. We would love to see you more often.”

Neal sighed and nodded. “I would like that, too. But I have a confession to make first.”

Peter’s eyebrows rose in mock surprise. “I thought Neal Caffrey never confessed to anything.”

“Hmm. Just this one time. Put your hand under that corner of the table.” Neal tipped his head toward the corner at Peter’s right hand. 

A look of confusion wrinkled Peter’s brow as he did what Neal asked. When he pulled the listening device from under the table he looked questioningly at Neal. 

“Is this what I think it is?”

Neal nodded. “Russian surplus. I’m sorry, but I wasn’t sure if seeing you would be a good idea. After the way things ended…”

Peter grunted an acknowledgment and sighed. He could understand Neal’s reluctance to see them and wouldn’t make an issue of the eavesdropping incident. 

Elizabeth smiled teasingly. “Speaking of Russian surplus… How is Mozzie?”

Neal laughed; relieved that his confession hadn’t stirred up any bad feelings. “He’s good. I don’t see him much these days though.” His smile and tone of voice hinted that he was hoping for a follow-up question. Elizabeth asked the question he was hoping for. 

“Why don’t you see him much?”

Neal grinned as he answered. “He’s too busy with his wife and daughter to spend time with me.” The stunned looks on his friends' faces were priceless. 

“That’s it,” Elizabeth declared. “You’re coming to our house on Saturday night for dinner. I want details, Mister. We also want your phone number and address.”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’ll bring dessert.” It had been a long two years but suddenly it felt like they’d never been separated. “Happy birthday, Peter.”

“Thanks, Neal. It has been a very happy birthday indeed.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story. I've played with it in my head for a few weeks but, when I sat down to write it, I struggled to get the right feel to the story. I'm still not sure I'm happy with it but... I've got to move on. Books to read; naps to take; etc.


End file.
